Abi Wilson, Head of Audit at leading Brentwood accounting firm MJ Bushell, has been named one of Ignition’s Top 50 Women in Accounting.
Since 2018, the award has strived to recognise women in a profession where they are continually overlooked and subject to harsher judgement and criticism than their male colleagues.
The 2026 awards centre on igniting change, whereby the transformative effect of the listed individuals is celebrated both in terms of how they shape their firms and the wider profession.
Abi’s inclusion is a remarkable achievement as the award considers accounting professionals from over 20 different countries.
One of only 13 women featured in the Top 50 from the United Kingdom, Abi has been integral in the new approach taken by MJ Bushell in the wake of the founding partners retiring.
“It has been an exciting time for the firm and for me professionally,” Abi said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed getting involved and sharing my knowledge and insights to drive us towards growth that creates more opportunities.
“Being recognised like this is quite validating and I hope that it inspires other women to keep pushing forward with developing their own technical knowledge.”
Specialising in accounting, audit and the preparation of monthly management information, Abi also has a strong grounding in cloud accounting platforms including Sage and Xero that allowed her to play a vital role in the major shift the firm experienced.
Abi was only recently made Head of Audit and immediately demonstrated the value she could bring to such a senior position.
“I wanted to make sure that the solutions we found were the most effective ones, rather than finding one piece of technology and forcing it to fit every task.”
The real sign of exceptional talent was demonstrated by the way that Abi never wavered in her commitment to clients and her team even as she worked to transform the firm.
“The majority of my time is spent completing technical, complex accounts, along with reviewing audit files and attending client meetings, which require precision in their approach so that clients know that they are receiving accurate information that can reveal deeper insights about their operations,” she said.
“I want clients to understand their financial position so that they can make the right decisions that lead to meaningful and sustainable growth. It has been interesting balancing our efforts to grow and change while helping clients do the same.”
Abi also helps to boost the confidence and skills of the new professionals joining the firm and serves as an ICAEW Student Counsellor, supporting the next generation of trainees through their qualifications.
Dan Sayers, Director at MJ Bushell, said: “Abi is a real asset to the team and making her Head of Audit was a no-brainer.
“Not only does she provide consistently high-quality work for clients, she also pours her expertise into the firm itself and builds our team through her insights.
“Her mentorship extends beyond the incoming accountants as she focuses time on keeping up to date with all relevant changes in legislation. She also runs internal training sessions to keep the rest of the firm aware of changes and how to communicate them to clients without draining the time of the other talented individuals at the firm.
“As such, Abi is able to excel in her own capacity as an accountant while also endeavouring to draw out the full potential of all around her.”
The full list of Ignition’s Top 50 Women in Accounting can be found here: https://womeninaccounting.ignitionapp.com/top-50
To find out more about the firm that is shaped by Abi’s success, visit MJ Bushell at www.mjbushell.co.uk